Gender Equality in Academia and Research

Romania

PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY IN RESEARCH

Legal framework

Law 1/2011 of National Education stipulates – apart general provisions on the principle of equity in public education – that any Romanian or foreign citizen can participate in a competition for a teaching and research position, with no discrimination (Article 294 (2)).

Policy framework

Until October 2015, Romania has not put in place policies promoting gender equality in research.

Other stimulatory initiatives

The national grant programme “For Women in Science”, organised by the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO and L’Oréal Romania, was initiated in 2008.It is organised on a yearly basis.

Key actors

Considering the current inexistence of laws and policies specifically promoting gender equality in research, no actors actively intervening in this area could be identified at this point.

INITIATIVES FOR GENDER EQUALITY BY RESEARCH PERFORMING ORGANISATIONS

The University of Iasi (UAIC) is part of an EU-funded structural change project. A gender equality plan was developed in 2012 and is still in place. Some of the initiatives put in place within the framework of STAGES include: the elaboration of the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (to incorporate the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers), the creation of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science at the University of Iasi and the inclusion of the topic "Gender Equality in Science" in the PhD programme of the UAIC doctoral school.

The University of Bucharest created of Centre for the Study of Equal Opportunity Policies under its Faculty of Political Sciences. The Faculty of Political Sciences, National University for Political Sciences and Public Administration in Bucharest is including gender topics within the general research directions in the PhD and postdoctoral programmes. The promotion of work-life balance in the academic system is being ensured by a kindergarten for employees’ children at the Academy of Economic Sciences and a kindergarten and primary school at the University of Iasi.

RELEVANT EXAMPLES OF PRACTICES

Centre for Gender Equality in Science

The University of Iasi is part of the consortium of the EU-funded structural change project STAGES. As part of the action undertaken within this project, the first centre in Romania for the research, monitoring and documentation on gender equal opportunities in academia and research was created. The new structure, the Centre for Gender Equality in Science, was integrated in the organisation charts of the University in July 2013. Ever since, it has been supporting the implementation of the STAGES project’s activities.

Women Researchers Day

Within STAGES, the Women Researchers Day was also created. The first and second editions took place in 2013 and 2014 at the University of Iasi. The main objectives were to provide women in research with role models and to create an international reach for the exchange of good practices. The ultimate objective is to contribute to the professional development of female researchers. The series is currently integrated in the international ''European Women Researchers Day''.